Different Drummers: Heartbeat of Mother Earth and Rolling Thunder of Identity

October 21, 2006

While culture is always changing, some customs persist in their traditional form more than others. To explore this phenomenon, members of the American Indian and Japanese American communities in Chicago demonstrate how contemporary Powwow drumming stresses continuity with the past, while ensemble Taiko drumming is an invention of the post-World War II era. Learn how these two communities use drumming to teach different values and beliefs about identity, gender, and intergenerational relationships. Co-hosted by the American Indian Center and the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society.